Traction device



latented May 13, 1924.

Wannen n. CHASE, -or HARTFORD, eonnnoriour.

'mandaron DEVICE.

Application ledJ-uly 9, 21920. Serial 395,024.

To, all whomy 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, VAnnnN D. CHASE, a citizen ot' the. United' States, .residing at Hartford, in the county ot Hartford and Sta-te of lConnecticut,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ATraction Devices, of which thefollowing -is a specification. f

Tl .`s invent-ion relates to anti-shielding or traction devices of the fixed A.point or anchored type and more especially tothe .am choringdevices by which the traction element is anchored :in .posit-ion.

lt has for 4its objects to provide such a device which will ynot extend beyond .the side edges of the Widestradially outer peripherally extending part ot the wheel, and so be protected by said` part trom Iinjury -by the curbing and lthe like; which will provide for the `connection of the two terminal .portions of the chain directly to each other to avoid pulling on :the two `separate plates as wel-l as 4to avoid .pulling on two parts in opposite directions axially ot' the plate fastening means zand to avoid twisting 'or bending or breaking such plates or tree ends thereof; to provide; for :such connection at a .point between two adjacent spokes at such distance, peripherally of the wheel, from each spoke as will permit Y'easy access `from both sides of the Wheel to ,promote the ease of applying the traction elements under the most trying weather and visual conditions: to providea device which i will be universally applicable 'to all wooden spoke wheels regardless oi thesize of V.spacing ot said spokes; to provide a device .in which the length ot the traction element will not be governed or affected in any degree by the size of the spokes, -but will be the same length for the same size tire in all cases; to provide a light self-contained` independent unit which may be applied,

removed and vreplaced without affecting the` other units on the wheel, land which may be of cast met-al and produced in large quanti-.ties at a small expense, all of which.

objects, among others. are accomplished nby the construction, combination and arrang ment of parts hereinafter Vmore particular ly set forth, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, .in which only the preferred form of my invention is illu stra-ted Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a segment of a wheel withl a device embodying my :invention applied thereto, the

onterends .of the two adjacent spokes be- .ing'spaced at approximately the usual aver- .age distance, the arrow indicating the direction of rotation of the wheel;

Figure 2, :a :similar view,the outerends of fthe spokes l,beingextreniely ,closey to each other, v`the tractionfeleinent being omitted; VFigure 3, Va similar view, thev outer ends lot the spokes being spaced `extremely far apart, the traction element being omitted;

.Figure 4, .a plan view, looking from the hub radially outward, of the parts shown in, and as arranged in, Fig. l, the crosschain being, however, omitted;

Figure =5, aside elevation of outer plate l `Figure 6, a sideelevation of .inner eplate 2'; and A v Figure 7, a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Figures l, 2 and 3 ygive .a good comparative illustration of the universal applicability of the device, .showing it applied to the .averagely spaced spokes. andi ralso to-the 'two-extremes.

Referring ,now kin detail to the draw-y ings, B designates the spokes. C fthe telly, D the rim, .E the tire fand l? the tractioxi element 'having its end links or terminal portions connected together by a connector G, which may be ot' any suitable construction, .although the most :satisfactory con nector known to, and vprefterre'd by, me and indicated .in the 4dra'wings is one mad-e in accorda-nce with the construction .shown in the Reissue vPatent No.V 14,361 granted.

ySeptember 18th, 1.917, on the invention ot Gilliam H. h/LcLaughlin. i

g The plates l and/2 are Iarranged respectively on the outside and inside lateral faces of two adjacent spokes B with portions ot eac-h of their inner faces .in engagement with each ot said spokes B, and their radially outer. faces or edges in enof the telly v Each of thesew trontportion, .in -t e direction of rotation of the wheel, with a long slot 3 extending from near the .frontvor forward end to a :point gagement with the :inner Ap'enipheral vtace- -beyond the vmedial portion ot the plate, 'each slot lbeing in length vpreferably approximately one half the length ot each otr-said plates and being arcuate in torni, following the .form of said plates, which are arcnatefin, shape. i

plates/is Zprovided in the Each plate is also provided in its rear portion in the direction of rotation of the wheel with a short arcuate slot 4, which preferably also follows the arcuate shape of the plate.

In assembled relation on the wheel the slots 3 and slots 4 respectively of the two plates will register and bolts 5 and 6 will be passed through the respective pairs of slots 3 and 4, lock washers 7, of any usual type, will be slipped vover their ends, and then nuts 8 will be screwed on the bolts to draw the two plates l and 2 into firm engagement with the lateral faces of the said two adjacent spokes. with their radial outer faces in engagement with the felly, as stated.

The plate securingbolts 5 and 6 should be so positioned in their slots as to engage their respective spokes. it being especially desirable that bolt 6 should be in engagement at all times with its respective adjacent spoke, while as to bolt 5 whether it actually engage its respective adjacent spoke or be positioned very close thereto. though not actually in engagement therewith is not of great importance, though it is important that it should be very closely adjacent said spoke in order to avoid leverage on a long free end. also. the point of anchoring or connection of the chain to the unit` or in the unit will be between the two bolts so that there will be no free end or ends to be twisted, broken or damaged by a sudden and unusual pull or twist from the chain, but in case of such a pull it will be borne by the material of plate l between the two bolts 5 and 6. and transmitted by said bolts to plate 2. However, such a pull or strain will be decidedly unusual and very rare, though it might occur from a sudden turn at high speed or from the chain becoming considerably twisted.

To apply to a wheel with spokes spaced at the average distance, the bolt 6 will be positioned in the forward end portions of the slots 4 so as to provide a considerable length of the plates to extend along the sides of the adjacent spoke, with which the bolt 6 will always be in engagement in the arranged relation. of the device on the wheel, and the bolt 5 will be located in the slots 3 at aV short distance from the rear ends thereof. the two bolts 5 and 6 being between the two adjacent spokes in order to be as close together as possible while allowing room for the passage of the chain and in engagement with or. as to bolt 5, closely adjacent. their respective spokes to prevent the end portions of the plates l and 2 from bending.

lVhere the spokes have their outer ends extremely close together. as indicated in F i gure Q. bolt 6 will be located as above inentioned, but bolt 5 will be shifted to the' other side of its spoke B and into the forward portions of its slots 3, there not being sutilcient room for it in the spoke interval in which bolt 6 is located.

Wvhere the spokes have their outer ends extremely distantly spaced, as shown in Figure 3, the bolt 5 will be moved back to its rearmost position in the slots 3 and the bolt 6 will be located in the same interval between the two adjacent spokes, the two bolts being located in their respective pairs of slots as near the respective ends of the plates l and 2 as possible while still retaining outside of the bolts a sufficient length of the plates to engage the lateral faces respectively of the two adjacent spokes su'liiciently to get a good frictional grip, both bolts being preferably in engagement with their respective spokes.

The positions of the bolts 5 and 6 in their respective pairs of slots 3 and 4 will therefore be regulated by the intervals between the spokes of the wheel to which the particular unit is applied, having in mind that the bolts should be as near to their respective spokes as possible to guard against leveragel and for the saine reason as close to each other as the above and superior considera,

tions will permit.

Plat-c l .is provided between the adjacent ends of. slots 3 and 4 with a short preferably straight slot 9 so disposed that its radiallyA outer end is located in advance. iny the direction of rota-tion of the wheel. of its radially inner end. and its longitudinal central line is disposed at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to a radial. line.

The particular arrangement and location of this slot 9 is of importance. as will hereinafter appear.

The plate l is provided on each side radially outside of said slotv 9 and adjacent to it and the edge of the plate with a reinforcing web l0 to make up for the material lacking in the area in said slot 9. the radially outer face of this web l0 being Hush with the radially outer edge of the .plate and bearing against the inner peripheral face of the felly.

The plate 2 is provided between the adjacent ends of its slots 3 and 4 with a large wide and deep recess ll extending frointhe 1 radially inner edge of said plate, and radially outside of said recess and on the inner side with an integral reinforcing web 12, the radially outer face of which is flush with the radially outer edge of plate 2 and bears against the inner perpheral face of the felly.

Tn the arranged relation of said plates l vand 2 on the wheel the center of slot 9 and the center of recess ll register with each other.

The recess l1 is of much importance as actua-l experience has demonstrated that to use a plate of this type and pass the chain over the radially inner edge thereof and then connect it to another plate such as plate l, results in a pivotal point atthe point of attachment with the latter plate and a swinging movement from said pivotal point of the chain against the radial inner edge of the inner plate suchr as an unrecessed plate corresponding otherwise to my plate 2, and this when the chain is under severe stress in taking hold of the ground or road bed. This results in very lquickly cutting through the'chain against the innerradial edge of the inner plate, this being accomplished sometimes more quickly than others, depending on road conditions, the load carried, the speed of travel, `and thefability of the operator to -drive in such a way as to spare his machine. Also, in some Vmakes of trucks the brake dra-mis of such size and so located that it would be impossible to get a chain through between it and the inner edge of the inner peripheral face of the felly were an unrecessed inner plate employed.

To apply the chain, terminal link H is inserted from the inner side of the wheel into slot 9 so that its end projects laterally beyond the outer lateral -face'of outer plate l, the chain is then passed transversely around the tire, with a portion lying in recessv 11', and the other terminal link I is slipped into connector G, which is then hooked into the projecting end of terminal link H, after which the guard is closed and the operation is complete.

It will be noted that the bolt `6 is always on the same side of its respective spoke and always close to the slot 9, and that in use the radially outer end of slot 9 is always in advance, in the direction of rotation of the wheel, of the radially inner end, with the result that as the traction element F takes hold there is ay tightening` of the endless band, resulting in a radially outward pull, also a peripheral pull forcing the link H against the inclined rear wall of the slot 9, acting to force the plate l radi-ally outward and the bolt 6 peripherally of the wheel against its adjacent spoke, so that the radial and peripheral strains, as well as the very occasional lateral strains will be distributed between the spokes and felly. and the usual lateral strains will be entirely borne or absorbed by the transverse endless traction element.

I have found from actual tests that with this construction the actual strains upon the anchoring plates are so reduced and distributed and leverage eliminated to such an extent that plates of forged or other steel are not necessary and that malleable cast iron plates will more than meet all requirements, that because of the peculiar arrangement the single size of plate will lit upon all sizes of wooden spoked wheels and will suliice for all sizes of trucks, and also, that as now designed, the plates when taken from the molds may be immediately applied to the wheels and used without `need for any further operation' or step of manufacture. The preferred formr is illustrated and de- `scribed by way of example only as I recogy nize that .various changes may bemade and do not wish `at all to be understood as limiting myself to the. construction illustrated, but on the contrary assert my right to protection .on the invention defined by the appended in all possible yprising a short segmental plate adapted to be held against the lateral faces of two adjacent spokes and in engagement with the inner .peripheral face of the felly, and. means for holding said plate in such posi-v tion, said plate having a slot through which a terminal portion of the, traction element may be passed for direct connection to the other terminal 4portion thereof, the longitudinal central line of said lslot extending at an angle of approximately forty-live degrees to a radial line.

2. A device for anchoring traction elements to a4 spoked wheel, .said device comprising a short plate adapted. to be held against the lateral Vfaces of two adjacent spokes and in engagement with the inner peripheralV face of the felly, and means for holding said plate in such position, said plate having a slot through which a portion of the 'tract-ion element is to be passed, said means engaging a spoke immediately adjacent to :said slot and on the same side and to the rear of said slot in the direction of rotation of said wheel, and said slot having its forward end, in the direction of rotation of said wheel, at a greater distance radially from the aXis of the wheel than its rear end, so that the chain in pulling peripherally of the wheel will have a tendency to ride up the inclined wall of said :slot and so force the plate radially outwardly and said means peripherally against vsaid spoke so that the` radial Vand peripheral strains will be dis" tributed between said spoke and telly.

A device, for anchoring traction elements to spoked wheels, comprising two plates to engage opposite. lateral faces' of two adjacent'spokes and the inner peripheral face of the felly, and provided with registering slots, the length of which is equal to substantially half the length of said plates tov permit of a wide range of adaptability to wheels with different spoke intervals, said slotsextending from a point near one end of their respective plates toward the other end of said plate, said plates also having registering perforations near their other ends, andbeing formed with' registering openings located between said perforations and the adjacent ends of said slots, said openings permitting the two terminal portions of the traction element to be directly connected to form an endless transversely arranged traction element anchored against peripheral movement as a. whole, and bolts passing through said slots and perforations to draw said plates against the opposite lateral faces of said two adjacent spokes.

4. A device, for anchoring traction element to a spoked wheel, comprising two arcuate plates to engage opposite lateral faces of two adjacent spokes and the inner peripheral face of the felly and provided with arcuate registering slots, the length of which is equal to substantially half the length of said plates to permit of a wide range of adaptability to wheels with dier ent spoke intervals, said slots extending from a point near the forward end, in the direction of rotation of said wheel, of said plates and having their peripherally extending walls parallel to the radially outer face of said plates, said plates further having short arcuate registering slots near their rear ends to increase said adaptability, the plate located on the inner lateral face of the wheel being provided with a wide and deep recess extending from its radially inner edge, said recess being located between the adjacent ends of the slots of said plate, and the plate located on the outer lateral face of said wheel being provided between the adacent ends of its slots with a short straight slot to receive one end portion of said traction element, both ends of this latter slot being closed and its rear wall extending at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to a'radial line to have a wedging action, a bolt passing through said long slots, and a bolt passing through said short arcuate slots between said two adjacent spokes and in engagement with the rear spoke thereof,

and means working on said bolts to draw said plates into engagement with said spokes.

5. A device, for anchoring a traction element to a spoked wheel, comprising two arcuate plates to engage opposite lateral faces of two adjacent spokes and the inner peripheral face of the felly and provided with arcuate registering slots, the length of which is equal to substantially half the length of said plates to permit of a wide range of adaptability to wheels with dierent spoke intervals, said slots extending from a point near the forward end, in the direction of rotation of the wheel, of said plates, which are further provided, `nea-r their rear ends, with registering perforations and, between said perforations and the adjacent ends of saidslots, with registering openings to receive a portion of the traction element, and have formed integral with them respectively, radially outside of said openings, laterally extending reinforcing webs, and bolts passing through said slots and perforations respectively to draw said plates together on said two adjacent intervening spokes.

6. In a device for anchoring-a traction element to a spoked wheel, the combination of two plates to engage opposite lateral faces of two adjacent spokesand the inner peripheral face of the felly and provided with -arcuate registering slots, the length of which is equal to substantially half the length of said plates, said plates having registering perforations, and formed with registering openings between said slots'and perforations, the radially inner end of the opening in one of said plates being closed, the latter opening having one end disposed at a greater distance radially from the axis of the wheel than its other end to promote compactness in a peripheral direction, traction element extending through registering openings and comprising a flexible member having two terminal loops and a removable connector joining said terminal loops to form an endless transversely arranged traction element anchored against movement bodily peripherally of the wheel, and means passing through said slots and perforations respectively to hold said plates iirmly in arranged relation on the wheel in engage ment with said two adjacent spokes and the inner peripheral face of the felly.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VARREN D. CHASE. `Vvlitnesses HERMAN Wir. Eremo, EDWIN S. TODD. 

